SI:AM | Maple Leafs Make Doubtful Historical past With Newest Sport 7 Failure – Sports activities Illustrated

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I’m extremely excited to have the ability to ship SI:AM as an email newsletter once more. 
In as we speak’s SI:AM: 
⛈️ Thunder dominate Game 7
💰 Purdy gets paid
🪓 Orioles axe manager
It’s usually mentioned that the 2 biggest phrases in sports activities are “Sport 7.” Not for Toronto Maple Leafs followers. 
The Leafs had been bounced from the playoffs on Sunday by the Florida Panthers with a 6–1 defeat at dwelling in Sport 7. It was a crushing finish to the season for a staff that started the yr with Stanley Cup aspirations, however the Leafs needs to be used to that by now. 
“They had been the higher staff tonight. They had been the extra determined staff tonight. They had been the extra aggressive staff,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “You bought to have a stage of desperation, willpower. And I didn’t really feel we had it.”
With Sunday’s loss, Toronto has now misplaced extra Sport 7s than another franchise in NHL historical past—a complete of 16, breaking a tie with the Boston Bruins. However the Leafs’ current historical past has been even worse. They’ve made the playoffs in 9 straight seasons and been eradicated in a Sport 7 in six of these years. No other franchise has misplaced greater than 4 Sport 7s over that span. 
The Leafs haven’t received a Sport 7 since 2004. They’ve misplaced seven Sport 7 alternatives in a row, tied for the longest such streak in NHL history. (The Colorado Avalanche have an lively streak of seven such losses.) However wait, it will get even worse. Whenever you embrace Toronto’s loss in Sport 5 of the best-of-five qualifying spherical within the 2020 playoffs, the Leafs have misplaced eight straight winner-take-all video games, the second-longest streak in NHL historical past behind the New York Rangers (1934–87). 
So Leafs followers are used to seeing their staff lose in do-or-die conditions, however Sunday’s loss was particularly crushing. Toronto was by no means aggressive, surrendering an astonishing 75 shot makes an attempt within the first two intervals, the most by any team this season. The Panthers broke the dam within the second interval and poured it on within the third. A number of followers threw their jerseys on the ice in disgust throughout play after Florida had put the sport out of attain. 
It was a well-known end result for the Leafs, however it was additionally a well-known end result for Panthers ahead Brad Marchand. After taking part in his first 16 NHL seasons with the Bruins, Marchand was traded to the Panthers on the deadline this yr, and he continued his playoff dominance over Toronto within the clinching sport. Marchand assisted on two Florida objectives and scored the empty-netter that sealed the Leafs’ destiny. Marchand has appeared in 13 Sport 7s in his profession, more than any active player, and is 5–0 towards the Leafs. 
“I grew up a Leafs fan. I take pleasure in taking part in towards the Leafs,” Marchand said after the game. “I take pleasure in interacting with followers. Like, it’s enjoyable. It’s not one thing I’ll endlessly get to do.”
The loss locations the Leafs at a crossroads as they start the offseason with loads of query marks. The largest is how the staff will exchange Mitch Marner, who has been Toronto’s No. 2 offensive weapon alongside Auston Matthews for practically a decade. 
Marner’s contract is expiring and he shall be an unrestricted free agent this summer season. He doesn’t sound like he believes he’ll be again, both. After the loss, the Toronto native spoke up to now tense about his time with the franchise. Veteran John Tavares will even be a free agent after seven years centering Toronto’s second line. 
Nevertheless the Leafs select to navigate the offseason, it seems a brand new boss shall be calling the photographs. Crew president Brendan Shanahan’s contract can be expiring, and the Leafs aren’t anticipated to deliver him again. 
… issues I noticed yesterday: 
5. Two really tough saves by Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky early in Sport 7.
4. Cal Quantrill’s immaculate inning. 
3. The Thunder’s hounding defense late within the first half as they started to tug away in Sport 7. 
2. Cody Bellinger’s grand slam to blow open the Yankees’ win over the Mets. 
1. Scottie Scheffler’s walk to the 18th green as he closed out his third profession main championship.
Dan Gartland is the author and editor of Sports activities Illustrated’s flagship day by day publication, SI:AM, overlaying every part an informed sports activities fan must know. He joined the SI workers in 2014, having beforehand been printed on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham College, is a former Sports activities Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).
Comply with Dan_Gartland
© 2025 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content material on this web site is for leisure and academic functions solely. Betting and playing content material is meant for people 21+ and relies on particular person commentators' opinions and never that of Sports activities Illustrated or its associates, licensees and associated manufacturers. All picks and predictions are solutions solely and never a assure of success or revenue. For those who or somebody you recognize has a playing downside, disaster counseling and referral companies will be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

source